It is very important to understand the following: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate Aviate: Make sure you are always five minutes ahead of your airplane. Aviating means that you must comprehend what the controller has told you and must understand EXACTLY what is being asked of you as a pilot. Can you execute the command? Is it safe? Is it standard procedure? Do you think that the command will get you into a situation that will make you feel unsafe?

Navigate:  This is the most important part. Execute the command which the controller has instructed you to perform. If the command is “Turn left heading 270, descend to 8000ft QNH 1015 and reduce speed 230kts IAS”, turn the heading selector to display "270", select the altitude to display 8000ft (and select the V/S if you must), cross-check the QNH and make sure it is correct at 1015 and reduce the MCP IAS selector to 230kts. As you perform each one of these actions, verbally pronounce them to yourself. This is very helpful when you have a lot of things to do at once and it also helps you organize everything you have to do. Furthermore, when a controller gives you a command to execute, ALWAYS perform it in the order in which he told it to you. This will help you to not forget what he has told you (even though you should ALWAYS write it on paper).

Communicate:  Once you are sure that you feel comfortable with the instructions you have been given by ATC and are 100% confident in performing these actions, you execute them and THEN and only then do you perform a readback.

This procedure may seem like it will take about 5-10 minutes to complete but it does not. The more you practice, the easier it will become for you. The more you study your charts, the easier it will be for you to decide whether you can accept the command or not.  Piloting an aircraft involves A LOT of procedures and many things that you must do concurrently. If you ever find yourself in a situation that you are not 100% satisfied with, DO NOT go along. Study your alternatives and always have a clear understanding of your options at ANY given time.

Take notice of the following:  the above procedure is not as time consuming as it takes to read it. This sequence, in your head and in the cockpit, will, over time, become automatic.